Wellington: New Zealand announced it would accept a woman linked to the Islamic State group and her two children, after Australia cancelled the former dual national’s citizenship.
The New Zealand-born woman – identified as Suhayra Aden – moved to Australia at age six and was a dual national until Canberra stripped her of citizenship last year.
At the time, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said “terrorists who fought with terrorism organizations’ forfeited the privilege of citizenship.
Aden moved from Australia to Syria in 2014 and lived under the Islamic State.
The 26-year-old told news organization ABC at a Syrian refugee camp in 2019 that she had been married to two Swedish Islamic State fighters.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said canceling her citizenship would leave them stateless.
“They are not Turkey’s responsibility, and with Australia refusing to accept the family, that makes them ours,” she said in a statement.
Ardern, who previously hit out at Canberra for “abdicating responsibility” in the case, said the woman and her children would now be returned to New Zealand at Turkey’s request.
Aden and her children have been held in Turkey since crossing the border from Syria in February.
